Citrus City

Our manufactured home has a full grown Grapefuit tree and a full grown Orange Tree (Reg thinks it's a Valencia but we haven't tried it yet). The previous owner was gone for several months and the watering system was turned off so the fruit this year is pretty dry - but next year it will be perfect. In "Sunrise" there is a bench at one of the entraces to the recreational center where evrybody brings baskets, boxes and/or bags of fresh picked citrus to trade/exchange. Everyone has at least one citrus tree. It is a very friendly place to live.

Grandma's Sewing Attic headquarters

Not right away, but as soon as we can this 11 ft by 31 ft room will be redone. It will be an insulated and air condiioned sewing room.

New To Us - 55 plus community

Here are some pictures of the new place we will be moved into by the end of Feb. Reg has lots of ideas and work has already started. Reg has slmost completed redoing the west side 10x11 tool/work room. He has completely reframed it and insulated it so he can use it in the summer. The master bathroom is very generous in size. Reg wants to totally reframe the room and make it a "suite" bathroom. The toilet will be in it's own little room (as we have here). The 1980's "everybody must have" garden tub, the small linen closet and the shower will be reworked. Reg wants to put in a big snail shower with multiple heads in what is now the tub area and linen closet area, and then covert the shower into a really generous linen closet.

The bathroom has a nice double sink and a large mirror that is really a huge medicine cabinet. the counter is low - even for me - but Reg is going to raise it up.

Fun Saturday afternoon for Grandpa

Grandpa and Rob

went to the

"D'Vine

Bistro

on the NE

corner of

McDowel

and Power

Road today.

They were having a "Wine Event". Dad says they tasted over 60 different red wines. Snacks of crackers and cheese were served too. Grandma was the designated driver but since it was so close to our house she used the time to shop at Fry's for Sunday's dinner fixings. Apples were on sale for $1.00 a pound so we will have a home-made Apple Pie this week. +++++ It was pretty cool today, in the low 60's, and we started our day with a good rain. That is wonderful because the grapefruit and orange trees at our new home have really suffered from under watering! +++++ Grandpa went to Acme Locksmith (Rob's business) and got all new locks for our new home in Sunrise Village this morning and had "fancy" keys made. He got an himself an Elvis key and got me a "Nemo" key. Neat ! +++++ Boy O Boy! Hauling Christmas boxes up those stairs today made me wish I was in the manufactured home now. This week - with the cold - I have taken a lot of anti-inflamatories and my tummy is not happy.

Tree Decorating Party

With help a little help from our friends (actually family) we got the tree up on Sunday afternoon. To make life even better - the temperatures are dropping back down again (Thank Heavens!). The past few days of 78 to 82 degrees have just been too much like summer for December!. Thanks to all our helpers. I had a zipper in 2 pieces for fabric and with just 2 straight seams and Audrey sewed them to make her own Toy Pouch. Avery decided not to sew his - so I finished his Toy Pouch for him. But both he and Audrey loved the "Batman" episode we had taped for them on the big TV, and they liked the new Dinosaur and Animal toys in their Toy Bins. I think Grandma and Grandpa also got the Grandchildren Approval award for the variety of Christmas cookies - but lost points for only having peppermint candy canes. Audrey told me they like the different color ones the best. Grandkids are so much fun. They see the world from a whole different perspective. And, as always, Grandma and Grandpa's big bed is the best trampoline.

It's A Messy Life

Update at Bottom. Whew! I have been going threw the house to try to "down size" myself. There are lot's of things I have for "just in case" (gift boxes, small gifts, an extra collander, 8 bread pans ... Reg kept shopping for different ones to change the crust on his bread ) that there will be no room for if we move into the manufactured home. So - we are going to have 2 carport sales. One this coming Saturday with the wild and crazy what we don't need, have never used, why did we get this stuff...and one later after we've had a chance to really see the space we will have in our new home. Here's a picture of what the living room looks like. Now - just think - We are having a tree trimming party on Sunday - Don't worry honey, it will all be gone and clean again! UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE It was one of the hottest days this "wonter", in the 80's. We only sold about half our stuff! Not to worry, whenthe time to move gets a lot closer we will have another Car Port Sale. Boo Hoo, I only sold one Christmas Stocking .

Christmas Stockings Keeping Me Busy

Last year, just a couple of weeks before Xmas, the PBS show

"Sewing with Nancy" had an episode on serging to make Christmas Stockings. It was so close to Christmas I only had a chance to make 4. I fully intended to get back to that project in the summer and make a bunch to sell on ETSY. Of course, that didn't happen. BUT just a few days before Thanksgiving pulled out all my notes and the DVD I had made of the program and I got sewing. Althogether now I have made 22 of them. (see Picture) . They are cotton, machine washableand fully lined - also with Christmas fabric. It is becoming a complusion - I love doing them. We are having a carport / sizing down carport sale this Saturday and I am going to, hopefully, sell them. AzGrandma